Hello All

Was in the local dealership the other day ordering some parts for my bike trip this summer. Anyhoo .... I was talking to the HD parts guy and asked him if he would be able to get me a Thunderheader 2-1 exhaust system. He gave me a look like I was about to burn his shop down. According to him this exhaust system is next to impossible to tune for. He said he refuses to order them for this reason. Now I am asking all of the people on here with all of there Thunderheader experience if this is true? I have never heard of this, but am hoping you guys can help! Anyone know of a place near Edmonton Alberta Canada that deals in Thunderheader?

Thanks for all of your help!

Stay Sweet!!!

 

I have a Thunderheader on my Train and have one going on my 87 FXR. The do have a flat spot that comes on around 2500 rpm or so but it can be tuned out by bending a couple of tabs on the back of the pipe.

I have no problems with mine and with the cams (SE 204), thundermax, heavy breather and thunderheader I am getting 87 hp and 104 ft lbs of torque out of my 96. Not bad for only adding the cams. It pulls strong all the way to 5800 rpm. Most peoples objection to them is that they say they are an ugly pipe. I like mine, good luck on your search.

 

I think it depends on the tech you talk to, they're all going to have preferences/opinions. The head tech at my local dealer can't say enough about it. He's not to fond of the looks, rather the performance. Everything you see is on it for a reason. Now, this same guy doesn't like the D&D Fat Cat. A pipe that a lot of guys here really like. See?

That being said, I have one on mine and LOVE it. I switched from samson 2-2 pipes to the TH and was amazed. Throttle response, increased torque, the sound (trust me, NOTHING sounds like a TH!!) and the no-nonsense looks. FYI: The only mods I've done for performance would include the TH, Mikuni Carb & Stack. No problems with getting it dialed in whatsoever. It was noticeable adding the TH. Hope that helped.

 

I would not be without mine. i love the sound of the TH and after running on a dyno you will be smiling fron ear to ear.

My closest dealer (1 mile from the HD plant) was sort of wierd about doing it also, so i bought them on line from American Custom Clasics and them picked up a powervision from Fuel Moto and could not be happier.

Jamie at Fuel Moto was great to work with on the powervision unit.

Craig

 

Have you tried searching online?

 

It's personal preference I think. I've heard a lot of good things about them so it would surprise me that he flat out said they where crappy.

But I also knew a Harley guy that didn't believe any EFI bikes where real Harleys. So yeah personal preference.

 

Never seen or read this before.
Our master wrench and tuner has said the D&D are really loud and the hardest pipes he ever tuned was the RH's 2-1. But he still got it done, just took longer.

IMO any tuner should be able to tune any good pipes, just might take longer that what he usually tunes.
Really that make sense that some tuners might say that, cause if U tune the same pipes every day it should be easy as U can almost punch in the settings and U'll be close to start with.

Same with the TH'ers, if the tuners did about 20 sets of them he'd probably get really good a setting them up.

 

Thunderheader is bad, bad ***. I say go for it and find an indy tuner who can hook your rig up.

 

During college I worked at local bike shop that carried Mongoose bikes...

If someone came in asking for a GT, we were taught to tell them we no longer carried them because the frames would break.

IT HELPED SELL WHAT WE DID CARRY.

 

Thanks guys! You were all more or less saying what I was thinking but it is nice to see everyone perspective. Mcsarge I am more or less looking at doing the same as you with the cams and so on. Do you find the Thundermax works well. I am more or less brand new to the whole concept of EFI tuning but its nothing a guy cant learn! Was looking into maybe going with the tts mastertune system and play with that a little bit. Unfortunately I dont have a readily available dyno tuner anywhere close to me so it is gonna be done pretty much by feel.

P.S I think the TH is the best looking grungy old pipe on the market!

Stay Sweet!!!